Published 13/03/2025 at 08:04 GMT
Ange Postecoglou hopes Tottenham Hotspur will be a rejuvenated side in their UEFA Europa League last 16 second leg against AZ Alkmaar, and is banking on his leadership quartet playing an important role in securing a quarter-final spot. The under-pressure Spurs boss is banking on the likes of Son Heung-min and Cristian Romero and their experience to pull the side through to a win on Thursday.
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Ange Postecoglou is looking forward to having his group of leaders and veteran players back out on the pitch at once as Tottenham Hotspur bid to make the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals.
Spurs suffered a 1-0 loss to AZ Alkmaar in their first leg away, and host the Dutch side in the reverse fixture on Thursday in London - live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
They followed that up with a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, which was only saved by a Son Heung-min penalty late in the game.
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"It's fair to say we were all disappointed with the first leg," Postecoglou told TNT Sports.
"Not the result, because I think losing narrowly away from home can happen, it was just more the performance and the way we played and the way we approached the game.
"We obviously had the game on the weekend, which again, didn't really go our way, but I thought the response from the lads towards the end of the game was what we needed."
The four senior players that Postecoglou relies on for leadership - Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, James Maddison and Son - have all at times struggled with injuries this season.
In a season in which Spurs' squad in general has looked thin at times, they have suffered without their leaders.
But Postecoglou is banking on those four leading Spurs to victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
"I guess the beauty of tomorrow is with the likes of Romero, [Micky] van de Ven, [Dominic] Solanke all playing significant minutes, we're going to look a little bit different to last week.
"The leadership of this group is really important. We haven't had Vic [Vicario], Romero, Maddison, Sonny [Son] in our leadership group out there barely at all this year. I think they're gonna be important tomorrow night."
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While injuries have impacted the side perhaps more severely than their rivals, Spurs have still under-performed as they sit 13th in the league.
The pressure is mounting on Postecoglou with every passing week as Carabao Cup and FA Cup exits plunged his promise of a trophy in his second season into further doubt.
A loss to AZ, and their subsequent exit from the Europa League, could spell the end for the Australian, but he is doing his best to block the noise and focus on his players.
"I always think 'well, what's really important to me?' And what's really important to me is I still love what I do. I need to prioritise what's important in terms of supporting the players, helping us achieve what we want to achieve. And on a personal level, the only real feedback that matters is what I hear in here from the players and the staff and the people I work with.
"You can use a lot of energy and a lot of time on things that, in the end, really aren't important. Like everything in life, opinions will always sway depending on the outcomes. And if the outcome's positive, then all the noise will change as well."
Vicario: 'I will fight to the end with this group'
Spurs goalkeeper Vicario is roaring to right the wrongs from the first leg, in what was his first European start for the side since November after overcoming a fractured ankle.
Having watched much of Spurs' season from the sidelines, the Italian admits he understands the frustration of the club's fans for their inconsistencies this season.
"They've been unbelievable this season and I can understand at times their frustration. Not happy because of what we've delivered this year, our consistency made them not think of us as a big team, and it's our fault, so we take responsibility for ourselves.
"But tomorrow is a big night and I can say we can go through this round. The support will be buzzing tomorrow night. It will be very important for us and we'll feel it on the pitch."
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Vicario returned to the side in a 1-0 win over Manchester United in the middle of February, but spent his time on the sidelines reflecting and embracing the period.
"When you're fit and when you're able to play every three days and suddenly you're out...you think you're invincible, but setbacks are part of life. That period helped me a lot in the way of seeing of life, of seeing football, and to have a different scenario around the lads putting in the effort.
"Of course, I couldn't help them, but the reality is the injury is part of the past. Now I want to focus on reality back with them and I'm very happy.
"When you have a setback you have to try to stay strong, to have a good mindset to overcome this problem. I don't want to think back, the reality is now I'm okay and I will fight to the end with this group."
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